Stamping Out Playground Injuries

Newswise — A new program by UAB psychologists is thought to be effective in reducing accidental playground injuries. The study was published recently in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology. The "Stamp-in-Safety" program focuses on adult supervision rather than on children's behavior. "Young children have a limited capacity to understand, remember and follow safety rules," wrote UAB psychologist David Schwebel, Ph.D., who led the study. Past studies have shown that interventions to change adult behaviors are needed in addition to altering playground environments. In the UAB study, teachers stamped children's nametags with a smiling face stamp whenever a child was "caught" playing safely. Results showed that the program improved teacher supervision and decreased children's risk-taking behaviors.